GKCC Legislative Agenda

UPPER LEVEL EDUCATION

Priority 1

Administrators at Tarleton-Central Texas must have adequate funding to provide the infrastructure (facility and facilities) to serve enrolling students.  Present levels of funding are inadequate to meet demand. 

In addition, administrators at Tarleton-Central Texas and the TAMU System must have adequate funding to plan the transition from a pathway center to a free-standing, upper-level university.

Support the Legislative Appropriation Request submitted by the Texas A&M University System to increase funding for Tarleton-Central Texas as follows:

• $16 million in Exceptional and Special Item funding, and
• $4 million in transition planning funding.

Priority 2

During a previous session, legislation was passed authorizing the TAMU System to issue Tuition Revenue Bonds, in the amount of $25 million, to begin construction at TAMU – Central Texas. That authorization expires if the Full Time Student Equivalent enrollment does not reach 1500 by 2010.

Pathway centers are the only upper-level educational institutions who have been burdened with this time requirement. 

Compounding the dilemma, students cannot be enrolled, to meet the FTSE requirement, without adequate funding to serve those students. The state has not provided adequate funding to meet existing student demand and, thus, meet the time requirement.

Support legislation to remove the expiration date on the authorization of Tuition Revenue Bonds for TAMU – Central Texas.

TRANSPORTATION

An efficient transportation system is essential to the continued development of the region. The state agency charged with construction and maintenance of the state’s roadway system has undergone sunset review and will come under much scrutiny during this legislative session. The funding of projects will be part of the debate.

It is important that the community position itself during the session to accomplish the following.

Priority 1

Work with allies to insure that these four project, committed to by the Governor and funded by the Commissioner’s discretional fund, are completed:

• SH 195 Extension from Rancier Avenue to Central Drive on Fort Hood;
• Proposed Copperas Cove Northeast Loop and Tank Destroyer Boulevard Improvements;
• Grade Separation (overpass) over US190 at West Fort Hood; and,
• Improvements at SH 201 and Mohawk Drive.

Priority 2

Work with allies to insure that these projects are completed:

• SH 195 Completion from Bell County to I35 at Georgetown;
• US 190 ramp improvements and lane expansions from Copperas Cove to SH 2410; and
• Proposed Southeast Copperas Cove relief route.

WORKFORCE

Priority 1

Support efforts to identify a permanent funding source to provide workforce services for Fort Hood’s exiting military service members and their spouses.

Priority 2

Ensure local control of workforce funding.

• Eliminate unnecessary requirements and rules.
• Increase devolution of funding to local workforce boards to allow maximum flexibility for planning, oversight and evaluation of programs and services.

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